California parents of dead 4-month-old arrested

DOWNEY, Calif.—Police in Southern California have arrested the parents of a 4-month-old girl after investigators ruled her death a homicide.

Officers were called to the couple's Downey apartment at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 31 after the baby was found unresponsive and not breathing, Sgt. Dwayne Cooper said Friday. Firefighters took the infant to Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital where a doctor eventually pronounced her dead.

A preliminary coroner's examination found that the infant had suffered from blunt force trauma and malnutrition and her death was ruled a homicide, Los Angeles County Coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter said.

A family member also reported to investigators that the infant suffered bruises a month before, but Winter did not know the extent of the injuries.

The parents were arrested Jan. 1. Authorities are not releasing the names of those involved. The investigation is ongoing.

"There was evidence that led us to come to the conclusion that the child was abused physically, and we've taken it to the district attorney's office for consideration," Cooper said.